National Key Accounts Leader

About the Role

The National Key Accounts Leader is responsible for accelerating double-digit growth with our largest and most high profile salon customers and prospects. The candidate will be a strong people leader and strategist and will coach and lead an experienced team through the reimagining of the GTM for Key Accounts within the US Wella team.

Responsibilities

The National Key Accounts Leader is accountable for achieving sales volume, new business targets, and brand distribution. Key responsibilities include:

• Develop and implement plans to deliver targets and create clarity on goals, KPIs and ownership for the Key Accounts team
• Plan, develop, agree and implement annual Joint Business Plans with customers, including increased distribution of Wella Company plans via joint growth and execution plans
• Agree marketing and promotional plans with Marketing and Trade Marketing teams and agree forecast with Demand Planning to support the achievement of Forecast Accuracy objectives
• Maximize key learnings of pre and post promotional activity analysis performed by the team
• Accountable for driving horizontal distribution by actively identifying and regularly calling on potential new higher profile businesses to grow market share
• Manage monthly, quarterly and annual sales forecasts and provide weekly estimates on sales projections to the Head of National Field Sales
• Manage Gross to Net controls to optimize profitability and manage a trade investment plan to maximize profitability
• Build contacts with the forecasting and supply chain teams within the customer to manage the most cost effective supply chain
• Agree listings for all new products and brands as appropriate and negotiate cost price changes with the customer as appropriate
• Build strategic plans to build specified categories of business within the customers to deliver short and long term company, customer and consumer objectives
• Lead the contract process with new KA customers, along with contract renewal for current KA customers
• Develop strategic projects with the customer to ensure future growth of the business
• Co-create new business development plans to expand in Retail together with the Commercial teams
• Own the relationship with key decision makers and owners across all current KA accounts and new KA prospects
• Partner across the industry via relationships with key trade groups and salon business organizations
• Build new relationships with customers and negotiate listing and perfect execution for our brands
• Collaborate effectively with the Commercial and Education teams to enable execution of agreed Joint Business Plans and create new opportunities

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• At least 5 years of people management experience in a Sales role in the beauty sector
• At least 8 years of experience in working with salon groups and building relationships with C-level stakeholders on the customer side
• Knowledge/understanding of local/regional customer landscape and experience working with major customers
• Strong financial acumen, deep understanding of the customer P&L, financing agreements and can coach and develop the team on value creation
• Background in or understanding of education preferred
• Highly collaborative, thinks strategically, problem solving
• Excellent oral and written communication and organizational skills
• Self-starter and takes initiative to work independently with excellent priority setting skills and a clear focus on deliverables and KPIs
• Demonstrates advanced computer skills – Microsoft Office - PowerPoint, Excel, Word
• Strong data management/analytics skills – Power BI experience is preferred

Skills

The ideal candidate will have:

• Effective prospecting and sales skills
• Experience in using a consultative approach to business development and the ability to translate brand strategy within accounts
• Very organized and operating with high level of discipline
• Ability to work with all levels of the organization

Benefits

Wella Company provides a rich variety of benefits to employees, including:

• Health insurance
• Life and disability insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Paid holidays and paid time off (PTO)

Pay

The pay range for this position is $125,000-$160,000 salary per year plus bonus. The range listed is just one component of Wella Company's total rewards package for employees.

Schedule

This position requires up to 60% overnight travel in field that can include weekends and the ability to travel via air for training and sales meetings at minimum 3-4 times per year. A valid Driver’s License is required.